What to do when someone says they're not OK

This year's Ask R U OK? Any Day on September 12 resonates with headspace chief executive Jason Trethowan as he encourages everyone to stop, ask and listen.

"Today is an annual reminder that these conversations do matter," he said.

"They do change lives and they do save lives and you may not realise it."

For Mr Trethowan, it's also a chance to reflect on his role at Headspace.

He has always wanted to help people who may feel vulnerable and need a safe place to speak especially as he lost a friend to suicide when he was in his early twenties.

"If only we had services like Headspace [then], I've got no doubt that his friends and family could have actually supported him [in] a place that would have been non-judgemental," Mr Trethowan said.

"And I'm not saying it may have made the ultimate difference but when you're growing up in rural Australia particularly when I was growing up, conversations were stilted."

He says the stigma surrounding mental health is still prevalent today and it could be even more difficult for young people from the LGBTQIA+ community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to seek support.

He applauds young people now who are role-modelling "help-seeking behaviour" but there was still more work to be done to keep the conversations happening.

He encourages everyone to ask the question, R U OK? but in their own way and although the day may feel "gimmicky" to some, it has helped many to open up.

When having the conversation and asking someone how they are, if they reply they are not okay, Mr Trethowan says it is important to listen and not to try and immediately fix the situation.

"It's more with the ears than it is with the mouth," he said.

He recommended not only pointing the person in the direction of Lifeline, Beyond Blue or headspace, but to go through the resources with them.

"Then it's not a sense of leaving that person feeling a little bit vulnerable after they've just said 'yeah, I'm not travelling well'," he said.

"I think it's just about doing things together, staying close and remaining connected."

Support is available for those who may be distressed.